Pulmonary Tumor Thrombotic Microangiopathy with Administration of Pulmonary Vasodilator Resulting in Clinical Improvement Prior to Final Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND The pathophysiology of pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) was recently revealed by autopsy. Considered rare, we suggest that this fatal disease is not rare, but has not been diagnosed pre-mortem. Some patients with pulmonary thromboembolism with unknown thrombus source or with sudden death have been treated for malignant carcinoma.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound ameliorates cardiac diastolic dysfunction in mice: a possible novel therapy for heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Aims: Heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a serious health problem worldwide, as no effective therapy is yet available. We have previously demonstrated that our low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy is effective and safe for angina and dementia. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the LIPUS therapy also ameliorates cardiac diastolic dysfunction in mice.

Marked Impairment of Endothelium-Dependent Digital Vasodilatations in Patients With Microvascular Angina: Evidence for Systemic Small Artery Disease.

Objective: It remains to be elucidated whether and how endothelial functions are impaired in peripheral circulation of patients with coronary functional disorders, such as vasospastic angina (VSA) and microvascular angina (MVA). We simultaneously examined endothelial functions of peripheral conduit and resistance arteries in patients with coronary functional disorders, with a special reference to NO and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization factors. Approach and Results: Based on the results of invasive coronary acetylcholine testing and coronary physiological measurements, we divided 43 patients into 3 groups; VSA, MVA, and VSA+MVA.

Important Roles of Endothelium-Dependent Hyperpolarization in Coronary Microcirculation and Cardiac Diastolic Function in Mice.

Endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (EDH) factor is one of endothelium-derived relaxing factors and plays important roles especially in microvessels. We have previously demonstrated that endothelium-derived hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an EDH factor produced by all types of nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), including endothelial NOS (eNOS), neuronal NOS (nNOS), and inducible NOS. Recent studies have suggested the association between coronary microvascular dysfunction and cardiac diastolic dysfunction.

Influence of cognitive impairment on cardiac mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention in very elderly patients: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) increases cardiac mortality among very elderly patients. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients is considered a favorable strategy for decreasing cardiac mortality. Here, we investigated the influence of CI on cardiac mortality after PCI in very elderly patients.

Important roles of endothelial caveolin-1 in endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization and ischemic angiogenesis in mice.

Although increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, the importance of physiological ROS has also been emerging. We have previously demonstrated that endothelium-derived HO is an endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (EDH) factor and that loss of endothelial caveolin-1 reduces EDH/HO in the microcirculation. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is a scaffolding/regulatory protein that interacts with diverse signaling pathways, including angiogenesis.

Important Role of Endothelial Caveolin-1 in the Protective Role of Endothelium-dependent Hyperpolarization Against Nitric Oxide-Mediated Nitrative Stress in Microcirculation in Mice.

Aims: Nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (EDH) play important roles in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. We have previously demonstrated that endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) plays diverse roles depending on vessel size, as a NO generating system in conduit arteries and an EDH-mediated system in resistance arteries, for which caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is involved. However, the physiological role of endothelial Cav-1 in microvessels remains to be elucidated.

Important role of endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization in the pulmonary microcirculation in male mice: implications for hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (EDH) plays important roles in the systemic circulation, whereas its role in the pulmonary circulation remains largely unknown. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension (PH) also remain to be elucidated. We thus aimed to elucidate the role of EDH in pulmonary circulation in general and in PH in particular.